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Rs.132.51-crore budget for MCN

NELLORE: The Municipal Corporation of Nellore (MCN) has presented a Rs.132.51-crore budget for the year 2009-10 here on Friday. However, the CPI (M) and the Telugu Desam Party counsellors said that the budget was a farce.

Mayor N. Bhanusri, who chaired the budget session, said the allocation last year was Rs. 109 crore and the council has given priority for drinking water, sanitation, roads, education and other sectors. She appealed to the council members to cooperate for the development of the city.

Not satisfied with the budget estimates, Nellore MLA Mungamuri Sridhaha Krishna Reddy asked the council to revise the budget. He asked why the council showed Rs. 15-crore balance in the previous budget while the employees were raising hue and cry for not paying salaries for the past four months.

The MLA appealed to the municipal engineers to take steps for conversion of open drains into storm water drains and prepare estimations for underground drainage system in the city.

MLC Vitapu Balasubramanyam said the municipal authorities are neglecting the schools in which about 11,000 students are studying. Mr. Subramanyam expressed concern over allocation of meagre funds (Rs. 19 lakh) for education in the proposed budget. He asked the corporation officials to develop the city with community involvement and set up citizen forums.

Deputy Mayor M.Venkateswarlu said though the government upgraded the municipality into corporation four years ago, sufficient funds were not allocated to the corporation and the public are forced to put up with with contaminated water, open drainages and bad roads.